LOS ANGELES — The New York Yankees announced their 26-man roster for the World Series vs. the Los Angeles on Friday morning.
In Game 1, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (1-0, 3.31 ERA) will face righty Jack Flaherty (1-2, 7.04 ERA) at 8:08 p.m. ET.
Our 2024 #WorldSeries Roster. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/3WSe77iSRx
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 25, 2024
Position players
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Juan Soto, RF
Aaron Judge, CF
Austin Wells, C
Giancarlo Stanton, DH
Jazz Chisholm, 3B
Jasson Domínguez, LF
Anthony Volpe, SS
Jose Trevino, C
Alex Verdugo, LF
Trent Grisham, OF
Oswaldo Cabrera, UTIL
Pitchers
Gerrit Cole, RHP
Carlos Rodón, LHP
Luis Gil, RHP
Clarke Schmidt, RHP
Luke Weaver, RHP
Tommy Kahnle, RHP
Jake Cousins, RHP
Clay Holmes, RHP
Tim Hill, LHP
Tim Mayza, LHP
Marcus Stroman, RHP
Mark Leiter Jr. RHP
Nestor Cortes Jr., LHP
Here’s our analysis:
Cortes in
Nestor Cortes knows he’s risking potentially millions of dollars by pitching in the World Series.
“We have weighed the consequences this can lead to,” Cortes, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season, said earlier in the week. “But if I have a ring and then a year off of baseball, then so be it.”
Cortes has rushed back from a flexor strain in his left elbow, an injury that can precede Tommy John surgery. But in his mind, pitching in a World Series is worth that possibility. The 29-year-old has passed all of the Yankees’ tests regarding how he’s handled recovery, how he’s looked on the mound in live batting practices, and his stuff has remained the same.
The Yankees will still be cautious about how they deploy Cortes. He’s not expected to provide much length out of the bullpen. His main objective, if any game situation calls for it, will be to handle the Dodgers’ top of the order. Cortes is devastating against left-handed hitters, and Los Angeles has two of the best in Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.
The bullpen has been a strength for the Yankees throughout the postseason, and adding Cortes does nothing but fortify the staff even further.
Berti out
It was a surprise the Yankees left off utility infielder Jon Berti, with most speculation pointing to fifth outfielder Trent Grisham being the odd man out. Berti started two games at first base for the Yankees, and may have been their fastest bench player in case the team needed a pinch runner.
With the Dodgers featuring a righty-heavy pitching staff, there likely wasn’t room for Berti, who’s a career shortstop/second baseman/third baseman and a neophyte at first base, a position he played for the first time in a professional baseball game during the ALDS.
Grisham hasn’t played at all during the playoffs, but he’s the Yankees’ best defensive outfielder. If Judge gets hurt, the Yankees would have an immediate replacement in Grisham. Rookie Jasson Domínguez was also a candidate to potentially lose his spot to Cortes, but Domínguez now becomes the team’s top pinch-running option and a possibly source of power from the left side of the plate pinch hitting.
(Top photo of Nestor Cortes: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
